FORMER England lock Nigel Redman has emerged as a strong contender for the vacant forwards coaching role at Worcester.

Warriors have narrowed down their search and expect to make an appointment this week.

Several names have already been connected with the post, which became available after Phil Davies moved to Cardiff at the end of last season.

Wasps’ specialist Trevor Woodman and Plymouth’s ex-director of rugby Graham Dawe have been mentioned but Mercury Sport can reveal that Redman is also in the running, as is Leicester academy manager Neil McCarthy.

Redman’s appointment would resemble a return to Sixways for the 47-year-old, who was the academy manager for several years during the last decade. He is currently the RFU’s Elite Coach Development Manager.

It would also see him re-united with head coach Richard Hil, who was a team-mate at The Rec during Bath’s glory years – Redman won 20 caps for his country and also played on the 1997 Lions tour to South Africa.

McCarthy was at Gloucester at the end of the 90s where Hill was an assistant coach. He has been academy manager with Tigers for the last few years. World Cup-winning prop Woodman, meanwhile, has been at Wasps since 2009, having been forced out of the game by a back injury at just 28.

Worcester’s MD, Charlie Little, has said they hoped to be able to announce Davies’ replacement in the ‘coming weeks’ and that they are still looking for an attack coach and other specialist skill coaches.